


The Talk

by KodiakSage



Category: Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Awkwardness, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Romance, The Talk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:02:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26353867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KodiakSage/pseuds/KodiakSage
Summary: Their wedding is tomorrow, and a helpful friend or relative believes that they need to give Shallan or Adolin The Talk.Each chapter is an alternate version depending on who is giving the talk.
Relationships: Shallan Davar/Adolin Kholin
Kudos: 26





	1. Navani and Shallan

**Navani to Shallan**

“Now Shallan, with no mother or sisters, it occurs to me that you may not have had opportunity to ask questions about what to expect on your wedding night.”

Shallan's face went as red as her hair and she uttered a very unsophisticated squeak. When she could form words again, she managed to sound more or less human. “I am a scholar, brightness! I have an...academic understanding!”

“Unfortunately, books can only take one so far in life. Surely you've learned that from your travels and experiences as a Knight Radiant.”

“Of course, Brightness.” Shallan said, her eyes lowered. Her mind raced, but she couldn't think of what to say that wouldn't be unbearably inappropriate!

Navani didn't seem neither notice nor care about Shallan's embarrassment. On the contrary, she was very earnest in her attempt to be a mother-figure to Shallan. “So do you have any questions dear? I promise I won't laugh at you or make you feel uncomfortable.”

Pattern swirled around Shallan's feet. _I have questions about human mating!_ But Shallan ignored him. Her mind kept flitting back to some of the talk she'd heard, the romance books she'd covertly perused, the anxiety that, as someone who could heal herself with Stormlight after falling off a cliff or being pierced by a sword should really not be worrying about but...

“Well I have heard...er read conflicting accounts about various wedding nights and...well..is it usually very painful?”

Navani's eyebrows quirked up at the lengthy lead up to the question, but her smile was kindly. Kindly an _motherly_ “If you both are doing it right, not at all! So if it does hurt, then you know you're doing something wrong. Just be honest and open. Tell him how it feels, communicate, and work together. Your marriage bed is a reflection of your marriage—you must be kind to each other and work to make the other happy. If you both have that end goal in mind, there will be no pain, only fun.”

Shallan felt a surge of relief at this honest, open answer. She managed to meet Navani's eyes and smile a small, shy smile at the older woman. “Thank you, brightness.”

“Please, you may call me Navani, or Aunt Navani...I'm to be your Aunt in truth tomorrow, after all.”

“And my step-mother-in-law,” Shallan said, and immediately regretted it.

Thankfully, Navani laughed. “Yes, that too. I was Adolin's Aunt far longer than I've been his step-mother. I feel he still would rather think of me as his Aunt.”

“Of course, brightness. I know he admires you greatly. Do you think he's...been intimate with many of the other ladies he courted? I've never even...Adolin is the only one and...” she stammered off into not being able to think of how to explain that she'd never kissed a man before Adolin, without admitting how much kissing she and Adolin had actually been doing.

“Though my nephew has courted many young ladies, I have no worries that he has been anything other than perfectly respectable towards them.” The raising of her eyebrows indicated, to Shallan, that Navani knew exactly how often Adolin had been in her rooms unchaperoned in the past months at Urithiru. And while they might not have been perfectly respectable all the time, they certainly hadn't done anything that wasn't technically allowed between betrothed persons. How could Navani say all that with just her eyebrows? Shallan took note, she'd need to use that for a future disguise.

“Perhaps I should have Dalinar talk to him...or might that be too awkward? Dalinar can be awfully stiff when he's uncomfortable. No pun intended, dear.”

Shallan felt like she might melt into a puddle of embarrassment, so she just shook her head, which was spinning. The idea of Dalinar and Adolin talking about...this...was unfathomable. Stiff indeed! She jumped to her feet and clutched her sketchpad tightly to her chest like a shield.

“Thank you Brightness! I really must be going now!”


	2. Jasnah and Palona to Shallan

“You do know that my cousin is a virgin, don't you, Shallan?”

“Wh-wh-what!?” Shallan stammered her surprise and alarm at this sudden topic of conversation. She dropped the book she was carrying and then scrambled to pick it up. Once it was safely back in her hands, she sat across from Jasnah at the small table where they had been examining the Dawnchant in the crowded scholar's room.

“I fear he won't be very knowledgeable about women, when it comes to the wedding night, so I advise you to study up on marital relations before then. You may have the rest of the day to do your research.” Jasnah spoke as if this was the most mundane conversation she had ever had, without breaking a smile or even a trace of flushing in her cheeks.

Shallan was aghast. How could she be so casual about something like this? “Where would even I find that kind of information!?” She asked in a sort of hoarse whisper-scream. Her eyes darted around at the other scholars to see if they had overheard, but on one was even looking their way.

“I expect you'll need to find some primary sources on the subject, personal rather than literary...you're resourceful so go be...resourceful.” At this, she quirked an eyebrow and took the book that Shallan had brought over. “You may go now.”

Shallan stood and stared at the Princess for a moment, still unsure if this was some kind of insane practical pre-wedding joke...but Jasnah didn't play jokes. Shallan stood and turned, mechanically, and left the scholar's room. Pattern drifted across her skirt, humming happily at the prospect of gathering more information about human mating rituals. Well. This certainly sounded like a job for Veil if there ever was one. Veil wouldn't be shy about asking improper questions. But no...Shallan shoved Veil away. This was something Shallan had to do for herself. She was going to be the wife of a High Prince and cousin to Jasnah Kohlin. She stood up tall and went forth to be resourceful.

*

Unfortunately, Shallan's list of married women she was acquainted with was painfully short. The thought of asking Navani, her soon to be Aunt/Stepmother-in-law was frankly terrifying...which left one other. And _she_ wasn't even technically married.

Shallan paused at the entrance to the High Prince Sebarial's private section of the tower, not far from where Shallan's rooms were located. For all her determination moments before, she almost couldn't go in. Her feet wanted to turn right around and go back to her own room and forget about this idiotic, humiliating quest...but she wouldn't. She couldn't! Jasnah was right, Shallan needed information, and she wasn't going to run and hide from this!She continued to dither for another moment, until Palona looked up and spotted her in the doorway and smiled.

“What on Roshar are you doing standing there?” Palona asked. She was sitting at a small table across from Highprince Sebarial, just in front of balcony. A sweeping view of the sky filled the extravagantly decorated room with pleasant sunlight, a welcome change after the windowless scholar's room that Shallan had come from. They appeared to be playing some a game with tiles laid out on a gridmarked board.

Shallan flushed and entered as gracefully as she could manage under the circumstances. “I was wondering if I could have a private word.”

Sebarial gestured to her welcomingly. “My chambers are as private as it gets in this rat warren of a tower girl, this is as good a place as any. Pour yourself some wine and pull up a chair, this game is just getting started yet.”

“Ah, I was hoping to have a private word with Palona, actually.”

Sebarial looked startled. “Oh? Whatever about?”

“I expect I know, and it's none of your business, Turi,” Palona clucked at him. She stood and took Shallan by the arm familiarly, ignoring the Highprince's offended little tut. “You may leave!”

“Storming woman, you simply cannot treat me thus!” He grumbled, but he stood and gathered up his wine glass anyway. Palona crossed her arms and led Shallan to Sebarial's recently unoccupied seat. He lingered in the doorway, still trying to figure out what the private meeting was about before he left.

“Shallan is getting married tomorrow Turi,” Palona said at last, her eyebrows raised pointedly. Finally Sebarial caught on. His mouth popped open, closed just as quickly, and he was gone, the door shut firmly behind him.

“So you know why I'm here?” Shallan asked. Her stomach was a twisted, nervous knot.

“Of course dear. You're a virgin with no mother or sisters the day before your wedding. I know _exactly_ why you're here.”

Shallan's face turned a bright shade of pink and covered her face with her freehand. “Is it that obvious?”

“It's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm honored that you came to me. Take your hand down, there there,” She tutted at Shallan and smiled, pouring her a glass of sapphire from the pitcher beside the game board.

“Tell me how far you and Adolin have gone then.”

“What!? Er, what do you mean?”

“Kissing, touching....what have you done? Please don't be embarrassed. I'm no Alethi Brightlady with hangups about purity here. This is practical. Be frank,” She handed the glass over to Shallan, who took a deep drink from it before speaking.

“Kissing.” Shallan admitted. “Some touching.” A little red shamespren flower petal floated down in front of her, but she ignored it.

“Clothes on or off?”

“On!” Shallan said. “Mostly. I may have let my havah come unbuttoned a bit.

“The sleeve or the bodice?”

“The bodice! Oh Almighty, I'm going to have to let him see my safehand, aren't I?”

“Just see it?” Palona asked curiously. “That is one tradition I do not understand at all. Are you allowed to use your safehand when you're alone? Touch your husband with it?” She held up her own gloved left hand next to her uncovered and exposed right hand and shook her head. “It's exactly the same!”

“It's not the same,” Shallan insisted, then sighed. “Kind of. And yes, I leave it uncovered when I'm alone. And husbands and wives generally see and touch a woman's safehand...freely.”

“Interesting. You would rather expose your bosom than your safehand to your betrothed?”   
“Not much of my bosom,” Shallan insisted. “Though Adolin was more interested in my bosom than my safehand.”

“A smart boy. Did his clothes stay on?”

“His pants stayed on,” Shallan admitted. I made him take his shirt off as soon as we started practicing.”

“Practicing what?”

“Oh! He's been teaching me stances for using my shardblade.”

“Ah, what a perfect opportunity to be alone together! Well. I'm very glad that you are both at least somewhat familiar with each other's bodies, and that you enjoy kissing and that you want to do more.”

“That's a good thing? Toeing the lines of our vows? We both thought that...well...we shouldn't have really done any of that.”

“Oh crem to that!” Palona said with a laugh, “Young people have been 'toeing the line of their vows' since there have been vows. It's normal and natural and yes, a good thing. Everything will be easier tomorrow night if you're not starting from scratch. Expecting two people to consummate a marriage who have never seen each other undressed is just asking for disaster. No, you and Adolin are doing fine.”

“Oh,” Shallan had never thought about it like that. She was nervous about the wedding night, certainly, but what if she'd never even kissed Adolin before? How much more nervous would she be, then?

“So tomorrow night, start there. Start with what you've already done. Go slowly, laugh and relax. Communicate. Tell him what you like, what you want, what feels good to you. Men are generally uncomplicated, but for you to enjoy the evening you'll have to go slow and speak up.”

“How are they uncomplicated?”

“A man has only one main organ and it is very simple to stimulate.” She put her hand on the neck of the wine bottle, clutched it in her fist, and moved her hand up and down. “You do this enough and he'll finish.”

“Oh!” Shallan knew, anatomically, what organ Palona was referring to, but she'd never had a demonstration of what that organ...did. “So I should use my hand? What about...intercourse?”

“Well, that same motion applies to his organ....moving in and out of your vagina. That's what intercourse is.”

Shallan's eyes widened. She knew that his organ went inside her. She knew that at some point fluids were released into her vaginal canal and traveled up to quicken her womb. But... “Why does he have to move...?”

“The movement is what will feel good to him, and you. It's what will allow him to finish. You do know that it's supposed to be pleasurable, right?”

“Theoretically, I've heard that it can be, but that wedding nights are...generally painful.”

Palona smiled sadly. “They don't have to be, dear. Would you say that Adolin is a kind, considerate man?”

“Oh, yes of course!

“Then you have nothing to worry about. The pain comes from going too quickly and not communicating. Don't have him enter you until you've had plenty of kissing and touching all over...until you feel like you need him to enter you.”

Shallan looked nonplussed and was slightly repulsed by that idea. She didn't think she would ever feel that she _needed_ a man's organ inside her. That was just crazy.

“I see what you're thinking. It seems crazy now, but in the moment, if you're doing it right, you won't even be thinking about it. One thing will lead to another. And if it doesn't...well that's okay too.”

“But don't we have to legally consummate the marriage?”

“That is a question I do not know, since I am not a Vorin Highlady or an Alethi Birghtlady. But if you do have to, you can certainly take your time about it! Wedding nights can be awkward and strange. Some men can't make their cock even work when they are too nervous, or when they have too much wine. Some women can't relax when all they can think about is their duty.”

“What if it is awkward and strange?” Shallan asked anxiously.

“Talk about it, laugh about it, and relax. Trust each other and you will be fine.”

Shallan and Palona sat quietly for a moment.

“Thank you, Palona.” Shallan said earnestly. “Why don't they tell us this before letting us get married?”

Palona laughed. “Usually a girl's mother sits her down and has a good talk about all of this before the wedding. I should have realized that you...didn't have anyone.”

“Jasnah told me to ask someone. I didn't feel comfortable asking Navani...thank you, again.”

“It's my pleasure, dear girl. I'm honored you felt comfortable enough to ask.”


	3. Navani and Dalinar to Adolin

Navani Kohlin blew into Adolin's sitting room, an elegant, unstoppable force of nature that one could do nothing but embrace. She pointed at a chair and locked her eyes on Adolin. “Nephew, please sit. We need to have The Talk.”

Adolin froze in his tracks like a statue coated in a hundred layers of crem. His mouth was slightly open, but the cordial greeting he had been about to say blew right out of his mind. Instead, he sat. She took the seat opposite, dignified and unhurried.

“I almost asked your father to have this talk with you, but I worried that it would be too much about duty and honor, and not enough about how to actually have successful marital relations with your wife tomorrow night.”

“I know my duty,” Adolin began, but Navani held up a hand to stop him.

“You know nothing, Adolin Kohlin. You're a virgin who has heard barracks-stories and seen fanciful folios—yes I know about those—but you don't _really_ know anything. So please just listen, and if you have any questions you may ask them at the end.”

Adolin felt his face flush, but he managed to control the rest of his features. “How do you know--”

Her firm fascade softened. “Adolin, you aren't so different from most young men your age. Am I right? Are you a virgin?”

“Yes,” Adolin said. He couldn't' help but sound a little bit defensive. There was nothing shameful about being a virgin, after all. “I made a vow to wait until marriage and I have been faithful to that vow,” he explained.

“And I admire you for it,” Navani said warmly. “You take your vows seriously, and I'm sure you will take your wedding night seriously as well. But here is my first direction: Don't be too serious.”

“What?” Adolin was caught off guard by this. “What do you mean?”

“That first night will be awkward, and messy, and things might not go the way you plan or imagine. Enjoy it anyway. Have fun anyway. Remember what is important; each other's comfort and happiness.”

“Thank you, Aunt Navani,” Adolin said, but he was thoughtful.

“I'm not finished. My second instruction is to forget everything you've heard or thought about how it should be, and do what feels best for you both. If it hurts—either of you—stop and try something different. Pain means you're doing it wrong.” She frowned. “At first, anyway. But never mind that. I expect you not to hurt that girl, Adolin!”

“I don't want to hurt her!” Adolin exclaimed, his eyes wide. “I wouldn't do anything to hurt her, ever!”

“Never? She can use Stormlight to heal herself instantly. If she asks you to, well...that brings me to my last piece instruction: communicate clearly. Ask her if she likes what you're doing. Ask her if she wants you to do something else. And tell her what you want her to do. Tell her what feels best for you. If you can talk about it, you'll be successful.”

Adolin sat back. This wasn't The Talk that he had feared it would be. Instead of a horrifyingly embarrassing explanation of bodies and fluids (ugh!) Aunt Navani had given him a lot to think about. But then, she knew that he knew more or less about bodies and fluids. This was the far more valuable information.

“Is there anything you'd like to ask, Adolin?” Navani smiled patiently at him, her hands crossed on her knees in front of her.

They sat in comfortable quiet while Adolin thought. Finally, he met Navani's eyes. “No, Aunt. Thank you.”

Navani looked satisfied as she rose to her feet, her elegant havah sweeping about her as she turned. “If you do have questions later you or Shallan should feel free to seek me out.”

Adolin saw her to the door, still thinking about what she had said.

*

A few moments later, Dalinar Kohlin came in.   
  
“Well son, I have a few things I need to tell you about before your wedding,”

“It's alright father, Aunt Navani already came in and debriefed me.”

“Ah, remarkable woman! Well then. So long as you do your duty and honor your wife more than the most precious shardblade, you will do fine. I'm...I'm proud of you, son.”

Adolin smiled. “Thank you, father.” Adolin hugged his father briefly, even though he knew it made Dalinar uncomfortable. Adolin sometimes missed the physical comfort that his mother had offered, even if it was strange to the other Alethi.


End file.
